It is going ahead.

I agree...but it is still a political nightmare.

Rainwater tanks are where the water shortage is most severe - the major cities.

It still won't make a dent in the water problem.

Scaly... 
 
You post so well and you cover all the points. 
 
Thank you. 


Oh, did I say that before ? Must be doubly right then 
No man is as clever as the one who agrees with me

Sounds like the greens are going to have LOTS of meetings - imagine all the extra hot air released during those.

Water tanks on houses is a good idea.

Quote:

Rainwater tanks mean people have free water, a source of free water which they are personally responsible for This means they can afford for water to be more expensive, as it should be. Rainwater tanks will not be sufficient for industry, not nearly, but if dam water is expensive to use then business will find recycling is a more economic option, you shouldn't need much government interaction to get a meaningful amount of recycling happening in the private sector.

This is absurd - special deals for growing rice in the desert in the middle of a drought. The federal government should take control of all water networks that span state borders.

http://www.smh.com.au/news/National/Secret-water-deals-for-NSW-rice-growers/2007/11/04/1194111306554.html

Water meant to protect Victoria's electricity supplies has been traded off to NSW rice growers in secret multimillion-dollar deals with the Snowy Hydro corporation.

Snowy Hydro Ltd and the NSW Department of Water and Energy have been accused of jeopardising the future of electricity outputs, the livelihoods of other irrigators and environmental flows to the Snowy and Murray rivers for short-term profits, Fairfax newspapers report.

The revelation of the secret sales comes as a cross-state deal on the Snowy River made by two former premiers threatens to tear apart the already frayed relations between the states' current premiers.

Former Snowy Mountains engineers and managers say the corporation abandoned established drought strategies, maintaining minimum annual water releases without emptying storages in lakes Eucumbene and Jindabyne.

The engineers estimate Snowy Hydro benefited - by about $160 million - from the special irrigation-deal payments and by bringing forward release revenues.

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Qld water restrictions to remain

http://news.smh.com.au/qld-water-restrictions-to-remain/20080206-1qjv.html

Saturated south-east Queensland is still a long way short of water security even though the dams are now almost a third full, says Premier Anna Bligh says.

Ms Bligh ruled out easing tough level six water restrictions across the drought-stricken region despite heavy overnight rain pushing the combined dam level to 31.53 per cent of capacity.

Wivenhoe, Somerset and North Pine dams are at their highest point since June 2006, when Brisbane moved to level three restrictions.

Brisbane Lord Mayor Campbell Newman on Wednesday urged the Queensland Water Commission (QWC) to take Brisbane off level six restrictions.

Ms Bligh said the government would decide by the end of the wet season in March whether to drop its plans for water contingency measures, such as mobile desalination plants.

But Ms Bligh said dam levels needed to climb much higher before any easing would be considered.

Ms Bligh said restrictions would be reviewed when the dams reached "a certain level", hinting the trigger point could be around 40 per cent.

"So if we do see continued rainfall into the dams, and it got into the 40 or 50 per cent area, then a decision ... could be made significantly earlier than the end of the wet season," she said.

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Water restrictions lifted on Gold Coast

http://news.smh.com.au/water-restrictions-lifted-on-gold-coast/20080207-1qr0.html

Gold Coast residents will be able to hose their gardens, houses and cars whenever they feel like it after all water restrictions are temporarily lifted from Saturday.

Queensland Water Commission (QWC) chief executive John Bradley said the reprieve will last as long as the Hinze Dam in the Gold Coast hinterland is overflowing its spillway.

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Qld aims to wind back water restrictions

http://news.smh.com.au/qld-aims-to-wind-back-water-restrictions/20080211-1rgl.html

The Queensland Water Commission has announced new triggers for the winding back of water restrictions as south-east Queensland dam levels continue to rise.

Commission chair Elizabeth Nosworthy on Monday announced current level six restrictions, in which households are encouraged to use 140 litres per day, will be wound back when combined dam levels reach 40 per cent.

Limited hosing would be allowed under new targets, with individual residents asked to limit water use to 170 litres a day.

Restrictions would be further wound back when dams reached 50 per cent combined capacity, with a new target of 200 litres per day.

Once the dams reached 60 per cent, 230 litres per day would be permitted.